AI behavior and mission creator

[captain_dalan]

Hey ya all.

 

So, i started fiddling with the mission creator, trying to figure it out in order to create my own training missions. Among other things, i wanted to study AI behavior in different engagement scenarios both against human opponents and against other AI. I made several simple missions for a start, involving my favorite jets (F-14, F-15 and Su-27), going against each other, one on one, guns only, 55-65% internal fuel, angels 20, 380 knots CAP, AI set to excellent.

 

It all started well, they accelerated to their CAP speed, detected each other and went for the merge. However, as soon as then got within a couple of miles or closer, they hit the brakes, cut the throttle and slow down to 280 knots? Every single one of them, every time. Always to 280 knots at the merge. Then they engage in (for lack of better words) i'd call vector on bandit one circle fight at 250-280 knots. This is all indicated air speed of course. At first i though it was because of the altitude. But many of these engagements end up in downward spirals that deteriorate to sub 5000ft at times and they still try not to reach or exceed 280 knots. Considering all of these planes have their corner at least in the mid 300s to upper 400s depending on load and altitude i find this "approach speed" dogfights a bit odd. Even more so because they don't seem to fly that slow in missions when i flay against them.

 

I tried setting them up as both CAP and intercept missions, but it made no difference. Am i doing something wrong here? Is it because i only give them guns? Or should i define their mission objectives in a different manner?

 

Cheers and safe flying guys!

[Pikey]

You didn't do anything wrong, AI is... DCS AI. There's some advanced waptoing actions you can add like restricting jettisons, AB usage, when to fire missiles BVR and the AI skill level that can impact some things, but generally once the scripting portion of th edogfight is engaged, its over to ED and we don't severely impact it in the ME.

[captain_dalan]

You didn't do anything wrong, AI is... DCS AI. There's some advanced waptoing actions you can add like restricting jettisons, AB usage, when to fire missiles BVR and the AI skill level that can impact some things, but generally once the scripting portion of th edogfight is engaged, its over to ED and we don't severely impact it in the ME.

Ah, thanks for the reply. I thought i was missing something. Looks like the AI flies differently against a human because it responds to different inputs, but when flying against it self it does it in a totally different manner.

[captain_dalan]

Just a quick update. It seams i found the problem. Or the two of them actually.

 

First, i didn't notice that when defining the speed for each waypoint, that speed is actually defined as ground speed. So previously, all my scenarios actually told the planes to fly slower then i would want them to.

 

Second, each waypoint is spawn with its own default speed, usually around 200 kts. It would seam that the planes tend to stick to the average speed of all the waypoints put together.

 

Anyways, i raised the values of the ground speed at all waypoints and now the merges make more sense. Each plane accelerates to 400+ knots before merging. They still slow down to corner just before engaging, but i guess that's just AI logic and can't be changed. I got the first AI on AI gun kills this night and even several mid air. I don't know why, but for some reason, quite often the AI's point their nose to the bandit, but don't shoot so they end up crashing at each other. Might post a vid of that tomorrow.

 

Cheers and sage flying mates!